Amherst Men's Basketball Coaching Staff

Dave Hixon '75

Ron Buelow

Rey Harp '97

Luke Flockerzi

Steve Zieja '03

In 27 seasons, head coach Dave Hixon '75 has molded the Amherst men's basketball program into one of the finest in the nation. As the winningest coach in school history, the 14th winningest active Division III coach in the nation and the 25th winningest coach in NCAA Division III history (by total wins, as listed in the 2004 NCAA Record Book), Hixon has guided the Jeffs to a 466-213 overall record, seven NCAA Tournaments, 13 ECAC Tournaments, 12 Little Three titles and back-to-back NESCAC Championships in 2001 and 2002, while posting a 10-2 record in NESCAC Tournament play. During his tenure, the Jeffs have continually excelled in the postseason, claiming four ECAC Championships (including consecutive titles in 1995 and 1996) and advancing at least to the NCAA Quarterfinals in both 1994 and 2003 before earning the college's first-ever trip to the NCAA Final Four in 2004. In 2001, Hixon was honored as the NESCAC Coach of the Year after leading the Jeffs to a 22-6 overall mark, tying the school record for single-season victories, which the Jeffs subsequently shattered with 24 victories in 2002-03 and 27 wins in 2003-04. Hixon has also worked as an assistant coach with the women's soccer team and currently serves as Amherst's associate athletic director. He and his wife, former Amherst diving coach Mandy Hixon, have two sons, Matthew and Michael. Hixon and his father, former Andover High School coaching legend Wil Hixon, were inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame in September, 2003.

Ron Buelow enters his 19th season as head coach Dave Hixon's top assistant with a wealth of experience in collegiate and high school athletics under his belt. In addition to his duties at Amherst, Buelow served 15 seasons as the head baseball coach and 18 seasons as the head boys' basketball coach at nearby Ware High School, where he continues to work as a physical education teacher. He is also the former director of the prestigious Dave Cowens Basketball School, and captained the baseball team at Plymouth State College before graduating in 1967. Buelow resides in Ware with his wife Jean. They have two grown children, Bill and Jennifer, and three grandchildren.

Assistant Coach Rey Harp, Jr. '97 enters his seventh season as an Amherst assistant after starting out as a team manager and statistician in 1993-94 and moving to the Jeffs' bench in 1996-97. Harp is an Amherst graduate with a degree in sociology and teaches and coaches in the Northampton School System.

Luke Flockerzi joined the staff in 2001-02 while earning a master's degree in sport management at nearby UMass Amherst, following a standout playing career at Grinnell (IA) College. He was recently named a winner of the Second-Annual AFLAC National Assistant Coach of the Year Award, as chosen by Scholastic Coach & Athletic Director Magazine, and works as an assistant softball coach in the spring.

Steve Zieja, a 2003 Amherst graduate, joins the coaching staff as the recipient of the college's prestigious Hitchcock Fellowship for athletic excellence and leadership. The Hadley, Mass. native was a standout basketball player and two-year captain at Amherst, leading the Jeffs to a school-record 87 wins, back-to-back NESCAC Championships and four straight NCAA Tournament berths, and graduating as the College’s all-time leading scorer with 1,708 career points. He earned countless postseason awards as a senior, including NESCAC Player of the Year, ECAC Player of the Year, Northeast Region Player of the Year, New England College Player of the Year and NABC First-Team All-America honors.